Award Shortlisting honour for Corporate Sustainability by Africa Champions of Trees Awards
On Tuesday 2nd December 2025 Vipingo Ridge hosted two high-level delegates, a representative from the KFS (Kenya Forest Service) and a judge from the ACT (Africa Champion of Trees) Awards who conducted an official site visit as part of the evaluation process for the Corporate Sustainability Award. This award recognises organizations that have demonstrated sustained leadership, measurable impact, and long-term commitment to tree-growing and environmental stewardship.
Their visit follows our recent ACT submission, and our confirmation as one of only three organizations shortlisted nationwide from 1,600 entries in the various categories. Vipingo Ridge is competing in this prestigious category alongside Base Titanium (Kwale) and Uregesho Kadzinuni Special Group, a testament to the strength, depth, and consistency of our environmental program.
Sustained Commitment to Native Trees
The core of the site visit involved an extensive tour of the Estate’s restored indigenous trees and conservation zones, guided by Victoria Horsey. As a driving force behind Vipingo Ridge’s environmental transformation, Victoria presented the Estate’s multi-year rewilding strategy, highlighting the tens of thousands of trees planted, tactics for suppression of non-native species and the successful habitat restoration in the almost 20 years she has been rewilding the sisal farm.
A moment of particular note was the visit to Victoria’s tree nursery, where she cultivates a diverse array of rare indigenous seedlings that are planted around Vipingo Ridge as they mature and projects present themselves. The evaluators were struck by disbelief and admiration at her hands-on involvement, noting that her passion and unwavering consistency provided powerful, authentic testimony to the Estate’s greening achievements. This personal dedication is a rare but powerful element in a corporate submission for a Corporate Sustainability.
The delegates noted the clarity of purpose, the maturity of the environmental program, and the visible success of long-term ecological restoration efforts on the Estate.
Sustainable Development
In addition to our approach to trees, the ACT judges were also assessing our overall sustainability eco-system. From our conservation education programme to our solar farm powered water pumps and rainwater capture and storage, the visit explored how a sisal farm can be enriched and a residential estate, and even a golf course, can be sustainable.
Our accreditation of Eco-Tourism Kenya Gold rating earlier in 2025 reinforced our confidence in our environmental and community stewardship programmes.
Strengthening Vipingo Ridge’s Leadership in Conservation
Hosting the ACT’S committee reinforced Vipingo Ridge’s position as a leading private-sector conservation actor on Kenya’s coast. Over many years, we have invested in restoring indigenous vegetation, enhancing biodiversity, and building resilient natural systems—all while demonstrating that environmental sustainability and high-end estate development can complement each other.
Our partnerships with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), local community groups, and scientific researchers (such as the WRTI, Wildlife Research and Training Institute() have been critical to our success. These collaborations ensure that the benefits of restoration extend beyond the gated Estate and contribute meaningfully to the wider coastal ecosystem.
A Significant Milestone in a Highly Competitive National Process
Being shortlisted for the Corporate Sustainability Award among numerous nationwide entries is an important endorsement of Vipingo Ridge’s long-term efforts. The positive tone of the evaluation visit signalled strong confidence in our approach and the demonstrable outcomes achieved over the years.
As these new awards align closely with the National Governments ambitions for tree planting goals to be achieved by 2032, these inaugural awards by the Kenya Forestry Service (KFS) are high profile.
The final award results will be announced soon, with the winners to be recognised by H.E President William Ruto. Regardless of the outcome, this recognition places Vipingo Ridge firmly among Kenya’s leading environmental stewards and underscores our commitment to responsible land management and ecosystem restoration.
A Continuing Commitment to Rewilding and Regeneration
Vipingo Ridge remains committed to expanding our woodland cover, increasing biodiversity throughout the Estate, and strengthening our role as a conservation leader. This visit and shortlisting marks another step in our broader journey one defined by collaboration, scientific rigor, and the passion of individuals such as Victoria Horsey, whose work continues to shape the environmental legacy of Vipingo Ridge.
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